(i) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a brake support mechanism for use in vehicular transmissions.
(ii) Description of the Prior Art
The brake support mechanisms which have thus far been used in vehicular transmissions, for example, for a 4-wheel drive reducing brake which engages and releases a ring gear of a reducing planetary gear set and a 4-wheel drive auxiliary transmission case which accommodates the planetary gear set, is constituted by a multiple disk brake which is splined to the outer and peripheries of the ring gear and the auxiliary transmission case, respectively, a brake piston which presses and releases the multiple disk brake from one side thereof, and a hydraulic cylinder which is formed by casting integrally with the auxiliary transmission case supporting the brake piston. Since the hydraulic cylinder is formed integrally with the auxiliary transmission case, it has been the usual practice to split the auxiliary transmission case into front and rear sections across the brake, for the convenience of assembling the component parts of the auxiliary transmission in the case, resulting in an increased number of parts and complication of machining and assembling processes to ensure the required strength and tightness of the auxiliary transmission case. In addition, reduction of the axial dimension of the auxiliary transmission case has been made difficult by the return spring which is located on the side of the inner periphery of the brake piston to press it toward the hydraulic cylinder at the time of releasing the multiple disk brake.